The Golden Girls are Florida State University’s official dance team. The dancers keep the crowd’s spirit high at football, basketball and volleyball games. / Photos courtesy of Wendy Crawford

Written by

Amit Rubin

Contributing Writer

The Golden Girls are Florida State University’s official dance team. The dancers keep the crowd’s spirit high at football, basketball and volleyball games. / Photos courtesy of Wendy Crawford

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Gleaming with garnet and gold pizazz, Florida State University’s official dance team the Golden Girls command the sidelines at Doak Campbell Stadium.

The Golden Girls began 30 years ago to offer FSU dancers an outlet to support their school through dance.

Although the team keeps spirits high at football games, many don’t know how involved the dancers are in other campus sports.

“Although we are most well-known for entertaining at football and basketball games, the Golden Girls also cheer at volleyball games and participate in almost every philanthropy, fundraiser and spirit event possible,” Golden Girls Captain Kaitlin Tuft said.

The Golden Girls sustain crowd energy at games, but also channel their talent at competitions like the Universal Dance Association Nationals. Held in Orlando, Fla., the girls represent FSU while presenting routines at the Wide World of Sports. Presently, the FSU Golden Girls are in fifth place nationally, and ranked first in the ACC division.

“After four years of being a part of this amazing team I feel honored to have been chosen as the captain this year,” said Tufts. “Golden Girls has made my entire FSU experience so much more than I imagined and I am truly blessed to be able to spend my last year at Florida State with such a talented team.”

Tufts revels in the pride she and her fellow team members feel during home football games, as they’re watched by as many as 80,000 people. The team feeds off the vigor of the crowd.

“Seeing the program evolve over the years and knowing how we have stayed first in the ACC for over a decade is an amazing feeling,” Golden Girls coach Wendy Crawford said. “Watching the Golden Girl family graduate to go on to dance professionally at prestigious companies and Broadway musicals across the U.S., to things such as the New York City Rockettes to professional teams such as the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders is so great for me to watch.”

Over 100 students try out for a spot on the Golden Girls each year. Auditions take place in May.

Crawford joined the team in 1996, later becoming the captain in 1997. She started coaching in 2003. She is thankful to be a part of the Golden Girl movement.

“I’m proud to say we are more talented and beautiful than ever and we’ve never been as close as a family as we are this year,” said Crawford.